WASHINGTON, DC (May 23, 2018): Health IT Now - a broad-based coalition of patient groups, provider organizations, employers, and payers supporting health information technology to improve patient outcomes - celebrated the long-awaited final passage of the VETS Act today as part of the VA MISSION Act.

The bill now heads to President Trump's desk for his signature, capping off a years-long campaign led by Health IT Now to expand telehealth access for the 20 million men and women receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Health IT Now Executive Director Joel White released the following statement:

"With the president's signature, our nation's heroes can, at long last, more easily access the care they need, when they need it, without fear of Washington standing in the way," said HITN Executive Director Joel White. "For too long, veterans have dealt with inflexible laws requiring them to travel long distances to federal facilities in order to receive care from a VA provider located in another state. The VETS Act will propel VA health services into the 21st century, breaking down geographic barriers to care and spurring better outcomes for the 20 million patriots who receive care through the Department of Veterans Affairs today."

White concluded, "It is our strong hope that the VETS Act is not the end of this Congress' support of technology-enabled healthcare reforms, but simply the latest in a continued series of measures to expand coverage and reimbursement of innovative care delivery models and knock down regulatory barriers to virtual treatment. We thank the House and Senate sponsors of the VETS Act - Representatives Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) - for their tireless dedication to this cause. Health IT Now also thanks House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN), Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and all who joined in championing this commonsense reform."